Historic Lead Paint Verdict under Appeal in California

LA Testing provides environmental lead and other heavy metal testing services to help prevent exposure to the public, workers and the environment.

Garden Grove, CA, February 19th, 2015

In 2013, a California Court ruled that three companies created a public nuisance by selling lead-based paints. Even though the paint was sold before it was banned in 1978, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James P. Kleinberg said in his ruling that “the defendants sold lead paint with actual and constructive knowledge that it was harmful.”

The ruling ordered the companies to pay approximately $1.1 billion to help government agencies remove lead hazards from properties in California. Some estimates suggest that up to 5 million homes in the state still contain the toxic heavy metal. Just this month, the San Jose Mercury News published an article that the court decision is being appealed. Oral arguments will be heard in the near future by the 6th Appellate Court regarding the ruling.

“People can be exposed to lead in many ways,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Garden Grove facility. “It can occur through exposure to contaminated air, drinking water, food, soil, deteriorating lead-based paints and even dusts. However, lead-based paints are one of the most significant sources of lead exposure. Lead affects practically all systems within the human body and children’s hand to mouth activities and growing bodies makes them especially vulnerable to lead poisoning when it is present in their home.”

Many homes built before 1960 contain heavily leaded paint. Some homes built as recently as the late 1970’s also contain lead-based paint. To help identify these hazards, LA Testing has a network of laboratories throughout California that offer lead testing supplies, analysis and even field test kits for lead. They have also sponsored an educational video about lead hazards in the home that can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5UnRr0tj88.

To learn more about lead testing services or other environmental and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794.

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for food testing and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Garden Grove, San Leandro and San Diego.